CS 266 - Computer Animation :
Fall 2004

Text

“Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques” by Rick Parent

References

Watt and Watt, Advanced Animation and Rendering Techniques

Kerlow, The Art of 3-D Computer Animation and Imaging

 

Instructor

Prof. James Kwangjune Hahn

          Office: T-720B Academic Center
          Office Phone: 202-994-5920
          E-mail: hahn@gwu.edu
          URL: http://www.seas.gwu.edu/~hahn/

Office Hours

Wednesday 5-6 and Thursday 5-6. Other times by appointment.

TA

Ge Jin, jinge@gwu.edu

Assignments

There will be approximately five assignments. Late assignments will not be accepted.

Exams

A mid-term and a final

Grades

Based on the following weighting:

 

Assignments	40%
Midterm exam	25%
Final exam	35%

Grading is on a curve, modified to account for overall class quality.

MISSED EXAM: By prior arrangement only, or due to an immediate personal emergency.

 

Cooperation

I encourage you to discuss approaches to problem solutions with each other. It is unreasonable to collaboratively work out a detailed solution, to copy a solution, or to give away a solution for the assignments. However, I encourage you to work with each other for the final project. All examinations, papers, and other graded work products and assignments are to be completed in conformance with The George Washington University Code of Academic Integrity.

Outline

1. Introduction

    Video of previous "Festival of Computer Animation"

    Hardware and software resources

2. Introduction to traditional animation (Lab 0)

    Kinematics of motion

    Key-framing introduction

    Coordinate systems

3. Euler angles and Quaternions (Lab 1)

    Catmull-Rom and B-Splines

    Advanced key-framing

4. Articulated Figures - Forward Kinematics

    Walking, running, aperiodic motion

5. Articulated Figures - Inverse Kinematics (Lab 2)

    Physically based modeling (Rigid, collision detection and response)

    Optimization techniques

6. Kinematic deformable objects (Lab 3)

    Human and animal modeling and animation (soft tissue, skin)

    Facial Animation - Parametric model

7. Physically based modeling (Deformable models)

MIDTERM

8. Morphing

    Behavioral and heuristic models

    Plants, algorithmic animation

9. Optimization techniques (Lab 4)

    Evolutionary techniques 

    Derivation of controllers

10. Animation languages and systems

     Motion-capture and Real-time Control

     VR and animation

11. Rendering and temporal-aliasing (Lab 5)

12. Sound modeling and synchronization

13. Video/editing/film recording

14. Presentation of storyboard/plan for final project

FINAL EXAM

The 13th Annual Festival of Animation!